1 Jun
2007
1 Jun
'07
2:07 p.m.
Andrew Coppin wrote: > Lennart Augustsson wrote: >> Why do you seem so in awe of Mathematica? > > Oh, well, I guess it is only the most powerful maths software ever > written... no biggie. No, it is one of several. In very little time I can find 20 things that Maple does better than Mathematica. In the same amount of time, I can find 20 things that Mathematica does better than Maple. [Actually, the most obvious is that its marketing is miles better; so good that it makes blind evangelists out of people who have not even tried the competitors]. >> It's just another language with a good set of libraries. Claims that >> it is the best, fastest, etc comes from Wolfram advertising, no >> doubt. :) > > The claim that it is the fastest clearly doesn't hold (much to my > surprise). The claim that it is the most powerful, well... I have yet > to see anything that can come close to the symbolic power of Mathematica. Give Maple a try. For example, you'll find that: 1) Maple's DE solver beats Mathematica hands-down 2) Mathematica's definite integrator beats Maples hands-down 3) Maple's symbolic non-linear equation solver is best 4) Mathematica's definite summation (ie finding closed forms) is best and on and on. [I don't know enough about the other systems to make similar comparison lists]. You got suckered by their marketing. Get your head out of the sand, and take a good look around what is available. Jacques